Means to an End
by Lisa12
Summary: COMPLETE! Monica finds herself in a dangerous position after events take a turn for the worse. Set after Sunshine days, Pre-Truth. Please R/R this is a WIP :)
1. Default Chapter

Title: Means to an End Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@hotmail.com Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or anything like that :) Rating: Summary: Set somewhere in Season Nine, b4 the final. Category: DRF/DRUST/DRR...just-all-DR :P Drama, Angst  
  
Monday 9.47pm  
  
Monica raised her hands as a sign of surrender. With her right hand she gestured, pointing, to the three people to the side of her.  
  
"Let them go," she stated calmly. A gun was waved in front of her face.  
  
"No way chica." She moved to take a step forward and felt the gun hit her forehead. Her hands moved to her sides and her right hand started fiddling. Two fingers together, fourth finger touched, three down, two fingers together... "No way!" the man screamed again. He cocked his head to the side and smirked. "Now... Step back."  
  
"What if I don't?" Monica asked, trying to draw him out, trying to separate her emotions from her calculations.  
  
"Then I'm going to shoot you. Step back - Now!" Monica took a small step back and held her breath to repress the sigh, the relief she felt once the metal barrel left her skin. He took three steps back and moved the gun right to left. Monica got the message, stepping towards the three officials, who'd remained relatively silent throughout the ordeal. "Are you getting hot?" the man in control asked. "Eh?"  
  
"Maybe we are. But if we are, then you are as well," Monica replied, hearing her voice shake on the last few words. She cursed herself, finding calm again as quickly as possible.  
  
"FBI," he began again. Monica looked shocked. How did he know? The three officials were just as surprised as she was. She took a small step forward. "You've given me your gun, now... Take off your jacket." Monica did so, removing her tan jacket. "Keep going."  
  
"Excuse me?" Monica asked. The gun was waved in her face again.  
  
"The bullet proof one under your shirt!" he exclaimed. "Take it off!"  
  
"I'm not wearing a vest," she lied. Monica checked her rage as the man stepped forward again, holding the gun at the centre of her chest.  
  
"Want me to see?" She didn't reply but her eyes told him 'no'. He stepped back. "Then take it off." Monica hesitated, but obliged. She removed her shirt, then the vest, before putting her shirt and jacket back on. She held the vest in her hands, before stretching them out for the man to take it from her. She did it all in silence, and everyone watched very carefully.  
  
"Take it," she managed after the man made no move. He shook his head.  
  
"Throw it out the window," he stated instead. Monica looked over to where the blinds were shut. "Yes that window!" he answered her silent question. "Throw it out - now!"  
  
"Okay," Monica replied, walking to the window. The man backed further away from the window, so that they couldn't get a clear shot. He knew they were out there. Monica slid open the window after raising the blinds until the man had instructed her that 'that was far open enough'. A spotlight hit her in the face.  
  
*  
  
"We got movement."  
  
"You got picture?" The radio crackled.  
  
"We have a woman at the window. Tall, slim, brunette. Feeding image now."  
  
From the window in the opposite high rise to the laptops in the vans parked on the ground, a file was sent.  
  
"Can you ID the woman?"  
  
Skinner and Follmer looked at each other. Skinner picked up the radio once he realised Follmer wasn't.  
  
"Positive ID. The woman is Special Agent Monica Reyes. She's one of ours. Do not, I repeat, do not jeopardise her safety for a clean shot."  
  
"Understood. Maintaining positions."  
  
Skinner, Follmer, and the surveillance team in the building across the street watched as Monica opened the window, holding something in her right hand.  
  
"Zoom in Peters," Follmer directed. "What's the object?" As soon as he spoke the words Monica dropped whatever it was she'd been holding.  
  
"Heads up!" Somebody shouted from outside as people, unaware of what it was, moved away as quickly as they could. Skinner remained focussed on what was happening at the window. Monica gestured something with a managed smile on her face, before shutting the window, then the blinds.  
  
"What..." Skinner whispered to himself, thinking. Follmer had gone to retrieve the object, and hurried back with it in a large plastic evidence bag.  
  
"It's her bullet proof," he managed. Skinner nodded, saving the file and replaying it, pausing at the gesture.  
  
"Do you know sign language?" he asked.  
  
"A, A little, not much," Follmer confessed.  
  
"I need a second opinion. Get somebody here-" In five minutes a police officer was ushered into the van. "Can you sign?"  
  
"Yes sir," the uniform replied. Skinner showed the young man the replay.  
  
"Is that a sign? I know what I think it looks like, but I want to be sure."  
  
"Yes sir. She's only using one hand so it's hard to tell. It looks like she's improvised, but it looks like she's signing the alphabet for 'bomb'..." The officer looked up at Skinner. "There's a bomb?" Skinner sighed.  
  
"I'm not happy with this," Follmer stated. "This can't be right."  
  
"Why not? Listen I want a third and final opinion." Skinner turned to the officer. "Thanks for your help. Don't breathe a word of this to anyone until we alert everyone of our conclusions, or I'll have your job. Understood?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Get Scully," Skinner stated, and Follmer left once again.  
  
"What's going on? Where's Agent Doggett?" Scully asked as soon as she reached Skinner. Skinner didn't reply, showing her the laptop with the file. He replayed it.  
  
"What is she saying?" he asked simply. Scully sat down, watching Monica's hand as she did it again, and again.  
  
"Sir if you're asking me to evaluate Monica's ability to sign with one hand at that speed, it's pretty bad, but if not... I would evacuate the rest of this block, because I think she just said 'bomb'."  
  
* 


	2. Chapter Two

Title: Means to an End Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@hotmail.com Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or anything like that :) Rating: Summary: Monica finds herself in a dangerous position after events take a turn for the worse. Set after Sunshine days, Pre-Truth. Please R/R this is a WIP :)  
  
Category: DRF/DRUST/DRR...just-all-DR :P Drama, Angst  
  
Sunday 9.47am  
  
Monica woke with a start, taking in too much air as she gasped, realising she wasn't in her bed. She started coughing and in no time there was a hand to her back.  
  
"Where am I?" she asked straight away, still half asleep, turning towards the person at her side.  
  
"You're in the spare room," John replied, watching her carefully. "You had a bad dream?" Monica hesitated, looking around her. It did look like a room John would have in his house. Plain yet co-ordinated. Neat. However, she didn't remember how she got there. Her brow creased. "Monica?" Her eyes snapped back to John and she took another deep breath, realising her heart was pounding.  
  
"I'm okay, yeah, bad dream," she managed. "How did I-"  
  
"You fell asleep and I brought you in here." She nodded slowly.  
  
"Oh. What time is it?"  
  
"Ten to ten, nearly."  
  
"Really?" she asked, eyes wide.  
  
"Yeah, I was coming up to check on you and you were talkin' in your sleep-"  
  
"Oh God, what did I say?" she asked. "I, I don't remember anything, I-"  
  
"You really wanna know?" John asked, raising an eyebrow playfully. She narrowed her eyes.  
  
"Yes," she stated.  
  
"You said, 'FBI FBI Step back.' Then there was a pause and I was about to head back downstairs but you rolled over and you called my name, you sounded scared." Monica swallowed, nodding. "Don't remember anything?" She shook her head.  
  
"No. Was that when I woke up?" John nodded.  
  
"Come on, I'll get you some coffee." Monica nodded as John stood and walked out. He heard her mumble, 'Wonder what it means', and resisted the urge to chuckle. That'd be right. Have a nightmare and try to analyse it. That's Monica. He smiled, realising that he didn't think it was such a bad thing.  
  
He made it to the kitchen before her but she was close behind.  
  
"John why wasn't I in my jeans?" she asked while his back was turned.  
  
"Didn't think you'd be very comfortable. They're on the end of the-" He turned, realising she'd found them and was wearing them again. She smiled.  
  
"Yeah, I noticed." She gave him a suspicious look and he seemed taken aback, but she quickly relaxed and grabbed a mug out of the cupboard, putting it on the bench. "Thanks," she said, smiling as he watched her. "I hate sleeping in pants." John felt his ears burning as he poured her coffee and then one for himself. Was that directed at him or was it a general comment? He had no idea. Monica didn't seem to understand the implications of what she'd said, leaning against the kitchen bench and sipping her drink. John watched her quietly, but not too intensely. "Anyway," Monica started after several more moments. "I should go. Sorry I fell asleep on you last night. I had a good time."  
  
"Yeah," John managed, nodding. "It's no problems, Monica. Any time."  
  
Monica raised an eyebrow. Was that intended to mean she was welcome to come watch videos and eat takeout at his place any time, or she could fall asleep on him any time? She hoped he couldn't see her blushing. After finishing their coffee in silence Monica got together her things. They shared brief and insignificant conversations and she left, wishing him a good day. 'See ya' Monday' seemed to be becoming an awfully familiar phrase between them.  
  
* 


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Means to an End Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@hotmail.com Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or anything like that :) Rating: Summary: Monica finds herself in a dangerous position after events take a turn for the worse. Set after Sunshine days, Pre-Truth. Please R/R this is a WIP :)  
  
Category: DRF/DRUST/DRR...just-all-DR :P Drama, Angst  
  
A/N: Thanx for all the feedback everyone - and just to clear things up, this story started in a backward kind of format. Monica didn't wake up from a dream at the start of chapter two, that was just something I used as an entrance to the whole "previously" thing. Starts Monday night, goes back to Sunday morning and continues from there. Sorry if I mislead anyone, I should've made it clearer. Hope some stuff in the fourth chapter clears that up. Thanks again and keep the reviews coming! :)  
  
As it turned out, 'See ya Monday' wasn't quite the entire truth. Monica arrived back at her place within the half hour and stepped straight into a warm shower. She hadn't been there five minutes before the phone rang. It took several rings to grab her attention, and she hurried for it nonetheless, throwing a towel around her and making it to the living room in record time.  
  
"Monica Reyes," she answered.  
  
"Agent Reyes, Assistant Director Skinner would like you to meet with him for an urgent briefing in an hour. Is that acceptable?"  
  
"Will Agent Doggett be there also?" Monica asked, recognising the voice of Skinner's assistant.  
  
"He's on his way."  
  
"So am I," Monica replied, hanging up and walking to the bedroom where she dried off quickly and found her black shirt to go with her tan jacket and black pants. Grabbing her gun and checking ammunition took only seconds as she slung her bag over her shoulder and locked her front door on her way out.  
  
*  
  
John was waiting for Monica outside the entrance they always used. She almost jogged to meet him and they walked in together.  
  
"Have you seen Skinner yet?" Monica asked. John handed her two plane tickets. "Where are we going?"  
  
"We need to go down and pack a couple of files. Do you have your overnight bag in the boot?"  
  
"Yeah. John-"  
  
"We're going on a goose chase, that's what we're doing." He seemed annoyed and Monica wondered why.  
  
"Is this an X File?"  
  
"If it's urgent, is it ever an X File, according to-"  
  
"According to Skinner, sometimes, yes."  
  
"Well this time it's not. We're being set up-" They stopped talking as they got into an elevator full of other agents, but after they all got off, and the elevator continued its descent, they resumed. "Intelligence is telling Skinner that a man suspected of several murders will be boarding this flight. We're going on as surveillance."  
  
"What?" Monica exclaimed. "We have better things to do than baby-sit a suspect while he's on a plane. Why not have someone pick him up when he gets off- He's on a plane. He's not going anywhere."  
  
"This guy has a talent for disappearing on them. So this way, if he disappears again, it's our fault. How do you lose someone on a plane, right?" Monica sighed.  
  
"Wonderful. Something tells me this wasn't Skinner's idea. Kersh?"  
  
"Guess again."  
  
"Brad," she stated. "But... Something doesn't make sense."  
  
"Yeah, this whole damn trip is a waste of our time-"  
  
"No, wait. Something else." By now they had entered the office and Scully was sitting at her desk, waiting for them.  
  
"Have fun," she greeted, not looking up from her computer. She'd heard John and Monica's complaints since they stepped out of the elevator.  
  
"Are you going to be here all day?" John asked. Scully glanced up.  
  
"No. Only for the next hour or so. I have a couple of autopsies to perform and then I have an appointment with Quantico. Why?" John shook his head silently, moving to his desk and picking up three or four files - Monica wasn't sure - that were stacked one on top of the other. He glanced at all the labels.  
  
"John, what are you- I thought this wasn't an X File?" Monica asked. John handed her the files.  
  
"It isn't. It's what we woulda been doing tomorrow if it wasn't for this. I want to get a head start."  
  
"What is it?" Monica asked, instantly curious. John hadn't mentioned any impending cases to her. She started to open the top file but John snatched them from her abruptly.  
  
"On the plane. Come on," he stated, brushing past her and out the door. Monica and Scully shared a glance, Scully's ultimately sympathetic; she'd been dragged across the country before as well, and knew that with John in the mood that he was, it'd be a rough flight.  
  
* 


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Means to an End Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@hotmail.com Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or anything like that :) Rating: Summary: Monica finds herself in a dangerous position after events take a turn for the worse. Set after Sunshine days, Pre-Truth. Please R/R this is a WIP :)  
  
Category: DRF/DRUST/DRR...just-all-DR :P Drama, Angst  
  
A/N: Thanx for all the feedback everyone - and just to clear things up, this story started in a backward kind of format. Monica didn't wake up from a dream at the start of chapter two, that was just something I used as an entrance to the whole "previously" thing. Starts Monday night, goes back to Sunday morning and continues from there. Sorry if I mislead anyone, I should've made it clearer. Hope some stuff in this chapter clears that up. Thanks again and keep the reviews coming! :)  
  
*  
  
"Seattle," Monica sighed as she buckled into her seat. "Jesus."  
  
"Now you see why I'm unhappy? We fly all the way across the country, no stops, for apparently little reason."  
  
"Yeah, I see. Can you see him?"  
  
"Yeah," John replied, leaning his head left. Monica was sitting at the window and she moved right to see also. Their temples almost touching, Monica noticed a crop of dark hair in the window seat two rows ahead of them. "That's him," he stated plainly. "With the spikes."  
  
"Yay," Monica replied sarcastically, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "Is it just me or does this seem more cramped than usual." The words were fresh out of her mouth when the passenger in front of her, an elderly man, pushed his chair back, almost locking her legs in their position. At least she hadn't crossed them at ankle or knee, otherwise there would be even more movement restrictions. John smiled knowingly.  
  
"There are some days you wish you were as small as Dana Scully eh?" he chuckled. Monica glared at him, though her eyes were smiling.  
  
"You just wait," she stated. "This is a long flight. By the time we get off, you'll be so sick of listening to me complain- Now give me the files or I'll have to entertain you with my dream." John was looking through the gap between the seats again and reached absent-mindedly for his briefcase, pulling it onto his lap.  
  
"You remembered it?"  
  
"Yep." It was the truth. She had. In the shower just as the damn phone rang.  
  
"So, what's the predictions?"  
  
"What?" Monica asked, forgetting about the files for the time being.  
  
"You know-"  
  
"John, my dreams aren't psychic. Not unless you think I was kidnapped as a kid about five times over."  
  
"What?" It was John's turn to be curious.  
  
"It's a recurring dream I've been having for months now. I'm six years old, and someone breaks into the house and nicks off with me. I was remembering what happens next but the call to come into work disrupted me."  
  
"Oh," was all John said. Must be some kind of subconscious link to Luke, he realised, knowing that he'd experienced similar dreams. He nodded and they both fell into silence. Oh God I've upset him, Monica thought to herself. However, he leaned closer to her and whispered.  
  
"Since he moved the seat back I've got an even better eye on the suspect." Monica rolled her eyes.  
  
"That's great John," she replied, also whispering. "All I have is a better eye of this guy's bald head!" John started laughing as he sat back in his place. The plane's engines had started and all were told to buckle up. John put his briefcase back on the floor and waited until they were in the air. As soon as the seatbelt sign clicked off, Monica unbuckled, turning her back further to the window so that she could look at John as he talked her through the files.  
  
"Missing persons files," John began, handing all three to her. Monica glanced at a couple and one jogged her memory.  
  
"These all bank managers?"  
  
"Head of security at three major financial institutions." He continued to list them off and Monica nodded. A smirk pulled at her lips.  
  
"Were they abducted by aliens?" she asked. He rolled his eyes, chuckling, and continued to explain.  
  
Half way there, Monica touched John's arm briefly and leant closer to him. He obliged, tilting his head so she could speak.  
  
"Is he asleep? I think I can hear him snoring." John smiling, leaning forward conspicuously. He smiled as he sat back.  
  
"Yep." Monica groaned. "Suspect's still there. Why don't I go for a walk to check him out?" Monica nodded as John left his seat and made his way to the toilet, walking past the suspect on the way. Monica, taking the chance, shifted into John's seat and stretched her legs. Momentarily she thought about refusing to move again, but that wouldn't really be fair. Monica watched as John returned minutes later, glancing freely around the passengers. He stopped at Monica and she smiled innocently up at him. "Oh all right," he started, but her face suddenly changed.  
  
"Oh no, it's okay. I was only kidding." She slid back over into her place.  
  
"You sure?" John asked as he sat down. She nodded.  
  
"Yeah. Not too much longer."  
  
"Mon-"  
  
"John, I was joking. What's he doing?" She leant over to see and John felt her loose hair brushing against the top of his hand. He inhaled deeply to stop himself reaching out and touching her.  
  
"He's just sitting there. I don't think he suspects anything."  
  
"So what's going to happen?"  
  
"There'll be FBI waiting at the other end to pick him up."  
  
"They really thought he was going to disappear on an aeroplane?"  
  
"I don't think so. That's why I got those files before we left."  
  
"What about them? They're missing persons-"  
  
"Just, little things. I was told by Follmer to stay out of it, but Skinner got the files for me, and told me to make sure I didn't go into it alone."  
  
"Why would you?" John didn't reply. "John, what's meant to be in these files that isn't?"  
  
"There's a slight inconsistency."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Like the dates on those folders are wrong. The first one, Margaret Thong, actually disappeared two days after the date last seen recorded. The others disappeared two days after their file states also. They were in their homes and with their families at the time these were filed."  
  
"Someone made a mistake?"  
  
"It's impossible. Those reports really were filed those days. Skinner signed one of them - see?" He pointed and she nodded.  
  
"So what's your theory?" Monica asked John. She was waiting for some long explanation about fraud, but she was shocked by what she heard.  
  
"Well which dates do you think are correct? The days the families say they disappeared, or the days these reports say?" Monica thought.  
  
"What kind of families?"  
  
"A husband, a mother, and a son. Who do you choose? A victim's family or well-respected officials who would have had to research each case?"  
  
"The victim's families," Monica replied. "Why would they lie?"  
  
"That's my thoughts exactly. When I called them Friday before I left, they corrected me on the dates. That means someone's screwing with us."  
  
"How did you get the files?"  
  
"They were on my desk when I got back from lunch on Friday."  
  
"Did you ask Dana?" Monica asked. John nodded.  
  
"Yeah, she had no idea."  
  
"So why are the dates wrong?"  
  
"What I was going to look into before we got called away, was if anything happened at those banks the days the families say they disappeared. Something maybe someone doesn't want us to know."  
  
"But someone put that file on your desk."  
  
"Like I said back at the office, we're being set up."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"I don't know Mon. But we'll find out."  
  
* 


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Means to an End Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@hotmail.com Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or anything like that :) Rating: Summary: Monica finds herself in a dangerous position after events take a turn for the worse. Set after Sunshine days, Pre-Truth. Please R/R this is a WIP :)  
  
Category: DRF/DRUST/DRR...just-all-DR :P Drama, Angst  
  
As they were about to land, and the seatbelt light came on, the man in front of Monica woke up, pulling his seat with him. She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. John laughed.  
  
"You look like it's your birthday or something," he stated. She chuckled.  
  
"Maybe it is." She raised an eyebrow at him and John cursed silently. Was it? He had no idea. She hadn't said anything. And it wasn't as though John looked through her personal file on a regular basis - he hadn't seen them since her transfer had been approved, and the only reason he had before that, was to look at her track record to present it to Skinner and Kersh.  
  
"Is it?" he asked. She shrugged, looking out the window. She sighed suddenly.  
  
"It's raining."  
  
"It's always raining. Haven't you seen that movie-" John began to change the topic, realising that if Dana hadn't said anything to Monica that morning, then it mustn't be her birthday, because Dana would say 'Happy Birthday' - wouldn't she? "Sleepless in Seattle or-" he continued.  
  
"Yeah, it was one of Brad's favourites." John raised an eyebrow. "I liked it well enough, but it just-"  
  
"I thought you would've liked the whole soul mate idea."  
  
"I do. Maybe I just associate it with Brad now, since he assumed I wanted to watch it every time it was on television-"  
  
"Every six months then?" They laughed.  
  
"Yeah, and he also assumed which bits would be my favourite. Always so far off-"  
  
"What are your favourite bits?"  
  
"Don't remember really. I haven't seen it since I moved to New Orleans! What about you?"  
  
"I," John stated. "Like the plane trip." Monica grinned.  
  
"Seeing as we're on a plane now?"  
  
"Yep," John shifted his seat belt a little, before his brow creased. "Hang on," he began after a moment's hesitation.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You said 'FBI step back' in your dream. How could you have been some little kid?" Monica scratched her temple. John seemed to be changing subjects every thirty seconds and it was getting hard to keep up with him.  
  
"Uh, well, it's hard to explain. I was little, but I was still me."  
  
"You were a six year old FBI agent? I'm impressed."  
  
"Thanks," Monica replied as they landed with a bit of a bump. She leant over to her right again, and John felt her hair on his hand again. "What now?"  
  
"We follow him off."  
  
"What if he disappears into the airport?"  
  
"There are meant to be plain clothes cops at the gate."  
  
"And so then what?"  
  
"There's an hour for this plane to be fuelled and checked, then we're going home."  
  
"An hour? That's not enough time to do anything!"  
  
"We could get some food because believe me-"  
  
"I'm starving, too," she finished, unbuckling her seat belt. They followed the suspect off the plane and watched as he made a run for it, but was pulled down but at least three officers, much to the excitement of all the civilians standing around. "Explain to me again why the Bureau paid for us to fly out here for no reason?"  
  
"I think you just explained it yourself." Monica glanced over at him with one eye closed. He'd noticed her doing it before. Must be some strange habit she picked up. Nevertheless, it was cute. Both eyes snapped open as he continued. "I still think it has something to do with this case."  
  
"Oh John, you don't really believe that do you? It's not even an X File."  
  
"So why's it on my desk? Someone wants us to look into it, and someone else doesn't. I say we do." She shrugged.  
  
"Okay Mulder, but I'm going to the ladies' and then can we get something to eat?"  
  
"Course," John replied, watching her walk off. He took out his mobile and called Dana.  
  
"Scully," Dana answered.  
  
"It's John."  
  
"Oh hi. Is that rain I hear outside?"  
  
"Funny. We're at the airport."  
  
"How'd it go?"  
  
"Perfectly. Monica and I just stood and looked pretty."  
  
"That must've been a challenge," Dana replied dryly. "When do you come back?"  
  
"In an hour, but at this point I'm thinking of running away-"  
  
"I don't think you'd want to do that." Her voice was tinged with a warning that he'd heard many times before.  
  
"Why? What's happened?"  
  
"John, someone's trashed the office."  
  
"What do you mean trashed?"  
  
"Tipped over open filing cabinets, bashed in computers-"  
  
"Woah, hang on there Agent Scully. During the middle of the day? Why didn't anyone-"  
  
"I'm not sure. None of us were there."  
  
"What about security tapes?"  
  
"The tape covering the hallway was temporarily out of order at the time. Do you know what's going on here?"  
  
"This smells bad."  
  
"It certainly does. I'm here now trying to put files back together. Skinner's coming down to help after a meeting. He's pissed."  
  
"Will you be there when we get back?"  
  
"Probably. What else do I have at the moment?" John didn't reply, he didn't know how. "So how was the food on the plane?"  
  
"You have to ask?" John spotted Monica returning. "Oh and by the way, do you know when Monica's birthday is?" John heard her laugh.  
  
"Yeah, today, believe it or not. Don't worry, I didn't find out until yesterday when I felt the urge to ask her. She's not one to make much of a fuss."  
  
"Ahuh, thanks Agent Scully but I have to go."  
  
"Call when you get back and I'll let you know where I'm at." Monica sat down on an airport chair as John hung up.  
  
"Was that Dana?"  
  
"Yep. And I think I can answer your question." Monica raised an eyebrow. "Someone got into the basement while none of us were there and went looking for something."  
  
"Like..."  
  
"I'm not sure but at least they didn't set it on fire." Monica chuckled. "Scully says computers were smashed in." Monica lost all humour in her glance. "Big mess, paper everywhere."  
  
"And no one heard anything?"  
  
"Mon, we're the only ones that ever go down there." Monica swore under her breath and sighed.  
  
"Well we can't do anything until we get back there. Is Dana okay?"  
  
"Sounds okay. Skinner's going to help her start cleaning up."  
  
"Well there goes my good night's sleep."  
  
"We should try and sleep on the flight back."  
  
"Mm, but first and foremost, where do we eat?"  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I know this is going to sound awful, and I'll probably regret it for the next month, but would there be a MacDonald's around here?"  
  
"I'm pretty sure there would be. You really want Maccas?"  
  
"Hell yes," Monica replied. "And we have to buy a bag of éclairs from the lolly stand."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"The coffee ones are fantastic."  
  
"Monica, we've been on planes before. You never struck me as a MacDonald's and Lollies kind of flier."  
  
"Usually I'm not." John smirked.  
  
"So what's the occasion?"  
  
"Just...feel like a treat."  
  
"Well in that case, I'll buy you the MacDonald's, and you go get the lollies and we'll meet back here?"  
  
"Sounds good." After checking where exactly they were and making a note, they split up. Monica arrived back first and smiled as her mobile rang. "Monica Reyes," she answered.  
  
"Hi Monica, it's Dana."  
  
"Oh hi. How's the clean up operation going?"  
  
"Skinner's down here now. It's..." she sighed. "Going, I guess. It won't take as long as we thought. What time are you going to get back?" Monica gave her a couple of flight details. "Would you be able to come to my place then?"  
  
"Sure. Why?"  
  
"We need to talk about why this happened. Skinner won't be there."  
  
"Do you know why this happened?"  
  
"No, but one of you do."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Because these aren't my files I'm picking up. John's was the worst hit-"  
  
"Figures."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"I think he thinks he knows what this is all about. We're thinking this trip was just an excuse to get us away from the office, so that whoever it is had enough time to find whatever it is that they're looking for."  
  
"That poses a lot of questions. A lot of thinking."  
  
"Yeah, we noticed."  
  
"Oh, your parents called at work looking for you. I told them you got called out of town on a case but that I'd pass on birthday greetings."  
  
"Thanks. I had my phone on, but the one of the air hostesses noticed and made me turn it off."  
  
"Well they said have a great day, they want you to call them when you get home, and to say hi to John for them." Monica heard the obvious question in Scully's tone and smiled, at the same time as John returned with the food. Scully heard a, 'Thankyou so much' and 'It's Dana' before Monica came fully back to the phone.  
  
"Yeah he met them when I was in hospital. Thanks for passing it on. I better go. John's back with food."  
  
"Anything good?"  
  
"Macdonald's," Monica replied, and could practically see the look of disgust on Dana's face. "It's been a long day."  
  
"It's all right. I forgive you," she said dryly.  
  
"Thanks again."  
  
"See you."  
  
John glanced at her as she hung up.  
  
"Scully again?"  
  
"Yep." Monica looked at her food and mocked a teary voice. "Wow. I don't know where to start. This is so beautiful."  
  
"You're breaking my heart, Mon," John joked back, handing her a drink. "Start here."  
  
* 


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Means to an End Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@hotmail.com Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or anything like that :) Rating: Summary: Monica finds herself in a dangerous position after events take a turn for the worse. Set after Sunshine days, Pre-Truth. Please R/R this is a WIP :)  
  
Category: DRF/DRUST/DRR...just-all-DR :P Drama, Angst  
  
The plane trip back was uneventful. Both agreed they needed to rest but couldn't, instead discussing the case. Monica held out the packet of lollies every now and then and offered John a couple. He accepted, grateful for the chocolate/coffee attack that it gave him, even if it only lasted a short while. At the rate they were going, they'd be empty before they hit half way.  
  
"So explain your theory to me," Monica began eventually. "These missing persons, it's not an X File?"  
  
"No, I think someone put it on my desk because they thought if we looked into it, no one would really pay much attention."  
  
"Well according to Dana, someone did pay a lot of attention."  
  
"I know, which makes me think... This is bigger than we first thought."  
  
"We first thought? I haven't thought anything yet. John, you're doing enough thinking for three of me." He smiled.  
  
"I thought I'd try it, you know. See whether I liked it or not."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, just explain."  
  
"Well what if someone from the FBI is involved?"  
  
"Someone from the FBI is involved in this plot of yours?" John had already explained his theory: that the three officials faked their own abductions so that the families paid out ransom money. Once they had that money, the three planned to inject a computer virus into their former places of employment, the three largest banks in Washington DC. It was a way-out theory, and silently Monica was proud of John. He'd obviously taken a great leap to come up with it, but strangely, it wasn't as out there as it could be. It was uniquely something John would come up with. She liked that.  
  
"It would explain why it feels as though someone's controlling what we do here and now."  
  
"You get that feeling too?" Monica asked, sarcasm floating through her tone. "Funny, thought that was just me."  
  
"We're nearly there." She sighed. "How come you didn't tell me it was your birthday?" he asked.  
  
"It never came up."  
  
"If I'd known I would've told Skinner not to bother you- Give you a day to yourself." Monica smiled, shaking her head.  
  
"Didn't want a day to myself. Anyway, I had a great time last night and despite it all," she yawned. "I've had a really great day, spent talking to my friends and not actually doing much work."  
  
"Have you got anything yet? I mean asides from the necklace?"  
  
"Didn't think you noticed," Monica replied, smiling to herself. John had noticed, all right. She'd seen it on his face the moment she'd walked in with it on, but he hadn't said anything, gentlemanly as he was. "Mum and dad sent it up for me. Came early."  
  
"It's nice."  
  
"Thanks, I think so too. Mm, I need sleep." She closed her eyes briefly, but they snapped open as the plane hit turbulence. She involuntarily gasped and John reached out, covering her hand with his.  
  
"Turbulence, Mon," he said, watching her carefully.  
  
"Sorry, yeah." He shook his head.  
  
"It's okay." She smiled over at him.  
  
"Thanks. Reminded me of the crash-"  
  
"Yeah, I know. So what do you think Scully's gonna think about my theory?" John asked to lighten the mood. She grinned, tilting her head to look at him out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"I think she's going to say 'Monica, what have you done to him?' and then she'll turn to me and say 'Nice work Mon'." She laughed as John pouted. She'd never seen him pout before. It was...interesting. Suddenly she became very aware that his hand was still on top of hers. She slid it out gently and noticed a flicker of something across John's eyes. Disappointment? Fear? She couldn't tell. She smiled anyway in the hope that the look would soon disappear. It did.  
  
*  
  
Scully opened her door to them eagerly.  
  
"Come in. Coffee?"  
  
"Please," John replied.  
  
"Oh God yes," Monica cut above him. "I'm dying. I feel like I've been sitting down the whole day."  
  
"You have," John pointed out. Monica flopped down onto Scully's couch.  
  
"And yet," Scully started, glancing pointedly at Monica. Sitting down, once again. Monica only groaned something unintelligible.  
  
"How's the basement looking?" John asked.  
  
"Better. Wanna tell me what they were looking for?" John nodded, opening his briefcase and pulling out the files.  
  
"These." Scully glanced at them as the hot water jug clicked off, reaching the boiling point.  
  
"Missing persons files?"  
  
"You should hear his theory," Monica stated. Scully looked up at John, eyes wide.  
  
"You have a theory?"  
  
"What do the two of you think I am? Some kind of blood hound that only follows one scent?"  
  
"Uh...yeah," Scully replied seriously, handing him a mug of coffee and taking two over to the couch. She put them both down on the coffee table and slid one closer to Monica, who opened an eye and glanced at it. John had caught her doing that once or twice before, and had decided it was an idiosyncrasy, and a cute one.  
  
As they all sat down, John explained himself to Scully, who listened intently.  
  
"So you've got four suspects? Three of them here, and one other one-"  
  
"Working the inside. Falsifying documents at the FBI, doing some final planning."  
  
"Any idea who it might be?"  
  
"It'll be a guy," Monica stated, breaking her silence. "Probably our age, with a family - all the others had families - who, I dunno, wants to take over the world one day." She opened her mouth really widely and yawned. Holy hell, John thought. She really was tired. Scully picked up Monica's empty mug and John followed her with the rest into the kitchen.  
  
"She okay?" Scully asked. "Seems really tired-"  
  
"Had a late night last night and didn't sleep too well I don't think."  
  
"And you would know that how?"  
  
"She told me," John lied. Ahuh, thought Scully. Sure! She tried not to grin, but couldn't help it.  
  
"Did she tell you her parents called while you were in the air today? They said to tell you hi."  
  
"No, she didn't. Thanks."  
  
"I didn't know you were close with her parents?"  
  
"I'm not. Only met them once. You know those Mexican types though-" John fumbled his way through an excuse. Scully raised an eyebrow. "Oh all right," he succumbed. "I really did only meet them once, but her mother obviously assumed we were much closer than we are." Scully nodded knowingly.  
  
"Of course."  
  
"You don't believe me?"  
  
"Of course!" she repeated, this time with more emphasis. John laughed and after awhile Scully joined in. When they returned to the living room, Monica was fast asleep.  
  
"Cute," Scully remarked. Cute? John thought.  
  
"I'll wake her, take her home." Scully put a hand on his arm.  
  
"No, she can stay here. Don't disturb her. All that MacDonald's must have tired her out. I'll go and get a blanket." Scully walked off down the hallway as John approached Monica. She looked really uncomfortable, half sitting, her body sliding slowly sideways along the couch. He gently took her neck and waist and helped her lie all the way down, before he picked up her ankles and moved her legs onto the couch too, removing her shoes. Scully returned with a blanket and laid it over her. "Drive safely John," she said as John said goodnight and left.  
  
* 


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Means to an End Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@hotmail.com Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or anything like that :) Rating: Summary: Monica finds herself in a dangerous position after events take a turn for the worse. Set after Sunshine days, Pre-Truth. Please R/R this is a WIP :)  
  
Category: DRF/DRUST/DRR...just-all-DR :P Drama, Angst  
  
Monday 8am  
  
John arrived at work first thing Monday morning with the purpose of getting to work on the missing person files. Monica and Scully were already there.  
  
"How'd you sleep Monica?" he asked, taking his seat at his now-once-again- tidy desk.  
  
"Great, thanks," she replied. John glanced over and saw that a huge bunch of flowers was obscuring his view of her.  
  
"Should I ask-"  
  
"No," Monica replied, almost curtly.  
  
"Could you move them so I can talk to you and not the big yellow carnation that's staring at me?" He saw two hands snake around the base of the container and pick it up, then he saw Monica as she put it on the other side of her.  
  
"Better?"  
  
"Thanks." Scully walked behind him and leant down.  
  
"They're from Agent Follmer," she whispered.  
  
"Oh," John whispered back.  
  
"I heard that," Monica snapped. "John listen. I don't think this is an FBI agent, I think it's someone with access to FBI files."  
  
"A hacker?"  
  
"I was talking to security and there have been some...incidences...recently regarding illegal entry into the database. Unauthorised I mean."  
  
"Do they have an ID?"  
  
"No but if they pick up the signal again they'll be tracking it and will let me know."  
  
"Wouldn't it be better to let someone else know, like Kersh?" Scully asked.  
  
"He owes me a favour. I told him to get the information to me before anyone else."  
  
"You trust him?" John asked.  
  
"Yep." The phone on Scully's desk rang and she picked it up.  
  
"Scully... Yes they're here... I'll tell them." She hung up and turned to face John and Monica. "Follmer wants to see you."  
  
"Both of us?" John asked. Monica glanced at him momentarily, a mixture of uncertainty and annoyance.  
  
"Yes," Scully replied. "You better get up there." Monica stood.  
  
"This'll be interesting."  
  
*  
  
"Agent Reyes, Agent Doggett, come in," Brad began, closing his door behind them and walking to his desk. "Agent Reyes I trust you received your birthday wishes complimentary of the bureau?"  
  
"I did thankyou Brad," Monica began. She heard John snort beside her.  
  
"I never get flowers on my birthday," he mumbled as they took a seat.  
  
"I'm glad you enjoyed them Agent Reyes because I'm afraid I have some bad news." He glanced between them. Monica looked thoughtful and John looked annoyed, but they were both unperturbed by such an insinuation. "You're both suspended until further notice." Watching their faces distort instantly was amusing, especially John's. Annoyance turned to anger. Thoughtfulness on Monica's behalf turned to surprise and suspicion.  
  
"What?" John exclaimed. Monica reached out and grabbed his arm before he jumped up and assaulted the man. That wouldn't help.  
  
"Why Brad?" she asked.  
  
"I thought that would be obvious Agent Reyes. The man Seattle PD arrested was not our suspect."  
  
"Uh, yes he was Follmer," John replied quickly. Brad handed John a photo.  
  
"This was the man picked up yesterday."  
  
"No it's not," John continued. "We saw the suspect get arrested. It wasn't this guy, it was the one you wanted!"  
  
"Well I don't know what to say Agent Doggett, other than you must be mistaken, which signals to me an even larger scale of incompetence and misconduct than I was prepared to believe." John looked over at Monica. He could see her thinking and knew instantly she was thinking the same thing.  
  
"Agent Doggett could I speak with Follmer alone?" she asked. John nodded, leaving to wait outside. "Brad, what are you doing?" she asked quietly. "You can't suspend us for losing a suspect on a plane that we didn't lose. We saw those police arrest the right man. It was not this man in this picture."  
  
"Yes it was." Her eyes were wide, pleading with him to believe her and not to suspend them. "Monica, he must have put on a wig in the bathroom or changed seats or something. You can't tell me you and John kept your eyes off one another long enough to keep your eyes on the suspect every minute, can you?" Monica's cheeks burned. What was he insinuating?  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Oh Mon, I see the way you look at each other. You're partners, okay. But there's a certain level of closeness that happens when you're not quite partners any more." He leant in further. "I've seen it in your eyes before. You used to look at me like that when you wanted it." Monica pulled back sharply and slapped him.  
  
"Tell me what you know or that sexual harassment suit isn't far around the bend."  
  
"All I know is that you and your partner picked up some country-clubbing rich boy who's prepared to go to a lot of trouble to make sure he gets a satisfactory apology. I'm sorry, that means you pay-" Monica turned and walked out.  
  
"You're not sorry," she snapped as she shut the door. John was waiting for her, his eyes asking her how she went. "Not well," was all she was prepared to give him. "But he gave me an idea."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He referred to the suspect who wasn't really the suspect as a wealthy, country club kind of guy."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So all the security officials I bet worked at a country club once or twice."  
  
"You think the fake suspect's involved?"  
  
"Maybe it's Brad's way of telling us who to go after."  
  
"But Monica-" the elevator doors snapped shut in front of them. "Why would they be so secretive about it?"  
  
"Maybe they don't want any leaks. They don't want anybody to know except the people who are working on it."  
  
"In the meantime, this was just a theory of mine, Monica. We don't know anything for sure."  
  
"Where do your theories come from John?" she asked as the elevator let them back into the basement. They made their way to the desks, where Scully was looking over a file.  
  
"I dunno, I just-"  
  
"What made you come up with that explanation?"  
  
"Um... I'm not sure."  
  
"There had to be something."  
  
"It was just a feeling!" John exclaimed, exasperated and slightly annoyed at Monica's pestering. Monica grinned like she'd won first prize at a competition and John had no idea why. She started laughing.  
  
"Oh John, I could get used to this." She walked forward and starting talking to Scully. They were whispering and all John could make out was, 'He did what?' and 'Nice work'.  
  
"I'll see what I can do Monica," Scully said in her normal tone after the discussion. Monica turned and grabbed John's arm.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked.  
  
"We're not meant to be here. We're going to lunch and uh, then we'll meet Dana for some afternoon tea." She glanced back at Dana and they exchanged a knowing glance. John had no idea.  
  
* 


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Means to an End Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@hotmail.com Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or anything like that :) Rating: Summary: Monica finds herself in a dangerous position after events take a turn for the worse. Set after Sunshine days, Pre-Truth. Please R/R this is a WIP :)  
  
Category: DRF/DRUST/DRR...just-all-DR :P Drama, Angst  
  
"So what do you want?" Monica asked. John stared at her, dumbfounded. "For lunch?" she added as they strolled down the street.  
  
"Uh...What do you feel like?"  
  
"Why don't we pick something up on our way to my place. Since I'm closer and we seem to be walking, not driving."  
  
"Sure." They made their way past a couple of stands and Monica let him drag her to get some polish sausage in a dog. She rolled her eyes as they moved on, walking comfortably side by side back to Monica's home. "So why are we here?" John asked. Monica switched on the television.  
  
"We're going to wait for Dana to come by."  
  
"With what?" Monica shrugged, sitting down on the couch and urging John to take a seat as well. He did, a little too far away for her liking. She smiled, standing slightly to pick up the remote and sitting back down much closer to John than she had been.  
  
"Not telling," she replied seriously, flicking channels until she found some sort of talk show.  
  
"Why not?" John asked, trying to picture Monica sitting at home watching talk shows like she was now. He smiled. He wouldn't have been able to picture it in a million years, and yet here she was, right at home with it. It was strangely unique to her persona.  
  
"I'm just not," she replied, finishing off her sausage and putting the paper bag on the coffee table in front of her. John felt the urge to reach out and rest a hand along her back as she leant forward, flicking through the TV Guide, but resisted. She wouldn't want that. "Hmm, not much on." Oh the hell with it, John decided, reaching out and resting a hand on the small of her back.  
  
"Mon, what's going on with Dana?" he asked softly. Monica turned to him, shocked and amazed that he had made a move, voluntarily touching her and all because he sounded so absolutely concerned.  
  
"She's helping me get back at Brad," Monica replied instantly, eyes wide. John didn't think he could remember a time he'd ever heard so much honesty in her voice.  
  
"Why?" Monica remained leaning forward and looking back at him so that he would keep that hand right where it was and not get scared off. Besides, it seemed to natural, so comfortable, for them to be in this position, looking straight into each other's eyes.  
  
"He made a comment this morning. It's all right. This'll do it. Plus I think it'll get me the information I want."  
  
"What did he say?" John asked, brow creased.  
  
"He said that it's no wonder we lost the suspect, and that I looked at you like I used to look at him and I quote, 'When I wanted it', unquote." John's mouth opened slightly and Monica saw anger rush over them. "So I slapped him, but what Dana's helping me with, will totally bring him onto our side."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I'm filing a sexual harassment claim against him. Well, he's going to think I am anyway. I wouldn't waste my time ordinarily, but I need him to come to me, to try to get out of it, then I can offer him a deal."  
  
"But there's no evidence-" Monica grinned, reaching back to her side and pulling something out of her pocket. A small recorder. She hit play.  
  
"-certain level of closeness that happens when you're not quite partners any more. I've seen it in your eyes before. You used to look at me like that when you wanted it."  
  
"I went off at him but that section of the tape is going to mysteriously be erased-" she grinned. "I'll never have to use it. No worries!"  
  
"I'm impressed," John said. "But what do you think he knows?"  
  
"I think our suspect who wasn't the suspect is the fourth man. I think Skinner knows. I'm not sure what to believe about Brad yet..."  
  
"If he knew, and he was giving you a clue, why be such an arse-"  
  
"He can't help himself," Monica replied. "When it comes to good old Monnie anyway-"  
  
"He called you Monnie?"  
  
"Yeah." John laughed. "What, no good?"  
  
"You just don't seem the type. You're more of a 'Mon'."  
  
"Thanks, I'd like to think I've evolved to Mon over the years. Anyway if he has no idea, then someone's playing him, but that doesn't make sense, so I think he knows."  
  
"Maybe he was trying to make it authentic in insulting you?"  
  
"If he was he's going to be pissed-" There was a knock on the door and Monica got up to get it, feeling the warmth that had slowly been generating from her back cease as John's hand fell away. It was Scully.  
  
"He's mad," she stated once Monica had let her in. She handed her a copy. "Here you go. He was very mad. Expect a call right about-" Monica's mobile chirped. She walked over and looked at Caller ID. Grinning, she answered.  
  
"Lustful hotline this is Gloria- How may I tempt you?" John looked at her in shock and Scully bit her lips together, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Monica, I know it's you."  
  
"Excuse me, you must have the wrong number. But remember, if there's no trust, there's only lust. Have a nice day." She hung up on him and turned. Scully clapped and Monica bowed. "Thankyou, thankyou."  
  
"Monica!" John exclaimed. "I thought the purpose of this was to get him over here-"  
  
"Yeah, he's on his way. He told me so before I said goodbye."  
  
"You've done that to him before?"  
  
"Are you kidding? If there's no trust, there's only lust was our motto. Well it was once I discovered there wasn't any trust! He knew it was me, absolutely."  
  
"So what's our plan?" Scully asked.  
  
*  
  
"Who's there?" Monica asked after a knock on the door. Dana and John were in the bedroom, waiting for this meeting to get started and then be over. Dana was sitting on the bed while John preferred to walk around. There was no way he was going to be able to sit comfortably on Monica's bed without his thoughts becoming solely preoccupied by her.  
  
"It's Gloria's bitch," Brad replied, and she opened the door.  
  
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Brad threw the piece of paper in her face.  
  
"What the hell is this?"  
  
"Relax Brad, it's not real." She shut the door behind him and they moved into the living room. "Still, it could be real if you don't fess up to everything you know."  
  
"Look it's not meant to get out."  
  
"Brad, John and I have worked out that we're meant to be investigating something, but until we know what it is, we can't really do much of the investigating part of the job! You can tell me. We're not going to go running to the press."  
  
"Okay. Promise?"  
  
"Promise."  
  
"The three missing persons staged their abductions to plan an assault on Washington."  
  
"What kind of assault?"  
  
"I can't tell you."  
  
"Wouldn't have anything to do with a computer virus?"  
  
"I can't tell you."  
  
"Brad," her voice hinted a warning. He caved.  
  
"Not so much a virus. A program that would disable financial security. PIN numbers, social security details - everything would be available to the public. As would money. All of it. As well as that we have reason to believe there's some kind of arms deal going on as well."  
  
"Same people?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Okay. So what was Seattle about? You know as well as I do that the man in that picture was not the suspect we were told to look out for."  
  
"The man in the picture was never on that plane."  
  
"Of course he wasn't. Who is he?"  
  
"He's...messed things up. The fact that you didn't recognise him was what I was looking for at the office. As long as you haven't seen him it means you're safe."  
  
"Why? Who is he and how's he messed things up?"  
  
"We had security tracking down these abductees, if you could call them that, and we thought we'd found them. We were certain, in fact. When we got there, it seems they'd disappeared, in a big way. All their things were still there, all their plans were out in the open for us to look at. It looked as though they themselves really had been abducted this time."  
  
"Someone else knew about their plans?"  
  
"Yes. Someone with more power, and higher connections. We don't know much about this man, although we think he's been overseas a long time."  
  
"Facial recognition?"  
  
"None." Monica sighed.  
  
"All right so what can we do?"  
  
"There's nothing more you can do. Like I said, you and Agent Doggett are to stay out of this."  
  
"No way Brad. We're already in this. You put us in this! You'll pull us through. What else is there?" Brad hesitated. Monica pulled out her tape recorder and played his statement for him, raising an eyebrow. "Tell me."  
  
"There have been threats. Whoever's taken the officials knew about our investigation."  
  
"How can that be? Who is he, bitter ex CIA?"  
  
"No idea, I swear to you."  
  
"Okay. What kind of threats?"  
  
"They've been kept from me as well. The demands are financial. Now we just sit it out."  
  
"Brad, you know very well that Agents Doggett and Scully and myself don't sit around for a living, and we're not about to start today."  
  
"Are they here?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yes," she lied. "Does anyone know who this is?" Brad shook his head.  
  
"Okay, then I'm going to find out."  
  
"Monica, it's not safe."  
  
"Brad, it's not safe has no meaning since I joined the X Files, okay? So don't try and pull it on me. You can leave now. I'll rip up the statement, thanks for your help and we'll keep you updated with the investigation."  
  
"You don't have much time," Brad managed as Monica practically shoved him out the door.  
  
"We'll make time," she replied, closing it behind him. John and Dana emerged from the bedroom. "You heard?" she asked.  
  
"Yes," Scully replied. "Let's get started."  
  
* 


	9. Chapter 9

Title: Means to an End Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@hotmail.com Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or anything like that :) Rating: Summary: Monica finds herself in a dangerous position after events take a turn for the worse. Set after Sunshine days, Pre-Truth. Please R/R this is a WIP :)  
  
Category: DRF/DRUST/DRR...just-all-DR :P Drama, Angst  
  
Monday 9.55pm  
  
After closing the blinds, Monica truly hoped that someone had seen her and had enough smarts to work out what she'd been trying to tell them. She turned back to the room. Everyone was silent. She sat down next to the three security officials and leant close to one.  
  
"So when were you planning on releasing the program?"  
  
"No talking," the man with the gun stated. The man from the picture that Brad had shown her earlier that day.  
  
"Sorry," she mocked, tapping her fingers endlessly on the floor instead.  
  
"Stop that!" The man with the gun waved it closer to her.  
  
"Can I ask you something?" she asked. He thought about it, and didn't refuse, so she continued. "Why do you have a gun? I mean isn't that pile of plastic explosives you have in the other corner of the room, and the detonator sitting on top of it, enough of a threat? Why are you threatening to shoot us if you're just going to blow us up anyway?" Then she turned to the other three. "You know you're really stupid messing with someone like this."  
  
After she'd pushed Brad out of her apartment, they'd looked into all the possible connections. By a stroke of luck and skill on Dana's part, they discovered that the man in the photo was a distant relative of one of the officials, who had a family photo on his website. The new theory was that the four had been collaborating, but the fourth decided to do it himself, taking charge in a different kind of way. He decided that instead of destroying financial systems, he'd just blow them up. Now they were all sitting half way up a high rise financial institution, listening to a very loud silence.  
  
*  
  
Down on the ground, Skinner and Follmer were blowing orders.  
  
"I want this whole place evacuated!" Follmer insisted.  
  
"We can't do that Agent Follmer," Skinner retorted. "I'm not abandoning my agents!"  
  
Scully heard Skinner's last remark and stepped forward, grabbing his arm.  
  
"What do you mean Agents? Who else is up there?" Skinner's jaw tightened as he looked down at her.  
  
"Agent Doggett ran after her. He broke off all contact. We don't know where he is."  
  
*  
  
Two Hours Previously  
  
"Have you heard from Monica?" John asked.  
  
"No," Skinner stated. "There are no phones in the room. We can't make contact. You shouldn't have gone in there in the first place without backup."  
  
"We didn't realise what we were getting into. We didn't know he was up there plotting his next move! Why did you turn up anyway? We didn't call you-"  
  
"He used Monica's cell phone to call the media, who called us right away, then he disconnected the phone."  
  
"Shit," John mumbled. "We gotta do something!"  
  
"There's nothing we can do except keep the snipers in place Agent Doggett."  
  
"It's dark, they're not going to be able to see anyone!"  
  
"There's a light on up there, probably some kind of lamp-" He gestured to where they were receiving video footage from across the street. "Blinds create a shadow but the light's not strong enough so there's no way of telling-"  
  
"What did the tip off say?"  
  
"That an FBI Agent was being held for ransom in this building-"  
  
"He can't want ransom- And I'm not sitting around here to find out-"  
  
"Agent Doggett get back here! That's an order!" Skinner yelled as John stormed off, grabbing a bulletproof vest on his way. "Agent Doggett!" He turned.  
  
"I'm not going to let him win, let him die and take Monica along for the ride!" With that he turned back and made his way past the police lines. Oh boy, Skinner thought. This is going to get worse before it gets better.  
  
*  
  
Monday 10.02 pm  
  
"John did what?" Scully exclaimed. "And you let him?"  
  
"He wasn't going to take no for an answer Scully." Scully put her hand to her forehead and thought.  
  
"I'm not evacuating."  
  
"I didn't ask you to."  
  
"Well I'm asking you to-" Follmer declared.  
  
"No," both Scully and Skinner replied in unison. Skinner added, "If you're staying, I'm staying. You're on thin ice already and you owe no one any favours." A uniformed officer approached them, along with a man wearing an FBI jacket.  
  
"Assistant Director Skinner," the officer began. "The surveillance team in the building opposite are requesting evacuation orders. With all due respect sir, they want to get the hell out of there."  
  
"Here are your orders," Skinner replied. "Leave all the equipment, the cameras, in position so we can monitor them from down here. Then your men can leave."  
  
"Sir-" Scully began.  
  
"Not now Scully!"  
  
"Sir that's Monica's silhouette at the window-" Skinner's head snapped around, eyeing the grey shadow.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive." They watched as a hand waved back and forth very slowly. "And I think she just worked out that we can see through those blinds. We have to get to John."  
  
*  
  
"What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"I'm admiring these blinds-" and thanking whoever put them there that they chose light colours. She turned to face the man, who was sitting on top of his explosives and swinging his legs and the gun. "I can't enjoy myself before you blow us up. Do you have any music?"  
  
"Music?"  
  
"Yeah, to dance to." The four other people in the room looked at her as though she were crazy. Monica thought, she was close, but she wasn't going to let anyone see how scared she really was.  
  
"No, I don't have any music."  
  
"This is a personal office, isn't it? Why not just turn on that computer and stick in a CD." She turned to the three officials who were looking near death. "Do you have any CDs?"  
  
"Uh...no, sorry," was the standard reply. Monica sighed. She turned and walked back to the window.  
  
Suddenly she felt fear and apprehension, but it wasn't hers. She turned, eyes wide, looking around the room. It wasn't coming from this room. He didn't know which way to go.  
  
"Anything? Any kind of music?" she asked again.  
  
"I do have one... It was a present for my neice." She reached into her bag and pulled out Kylie Minogue. Monica smiled graciously, taking it.  
  
"It still will be," she replied, walking over to a computer and switching it on.  
  
"You really think I'm stupid Miss FBI?"  
  
"Yes," she replied. "If you were smart you would have planted this bomb near the bottom, strategically at as many structural joins as you could, so that the building would-"  
  
"Maybe I did," he cut her off. She turned to look at him.  
  
"You didn't," she stated.  
  
"And how do you know?"  
  
"I just do. You don't want any more pictures of buildings collapsing, you want to just blow the top right off one. But you don't want to kill anyone, because you warned people. This whole street has probably been evacuated for hours." The computer turned on and Monica slid in the CD, finding the music player that should have been a built in requirement. It was. She opened the program and pressed play, turning the volume up. Please hear it, she silently begged of John. Please hear it.  
  
*  
  
So let's dance through all of this War is over for a bit The whole world should be moving do your part Cure a lonely heart Your disco, your disco, your disco needs you-  
  
*  
  
John was sitting against a wall, trying to get his bearings when he heard it. He almost couldn't believe it. Was that...music? Loud music. Pop music. He knew enough about Kylie Minogue to recognise the style, although he would never, ever admit it. It sounded as though it was coming from upstairs. He got up, hoping that it would stay on, and found the staircase. This had to be Monica's doing. He could only imagine what was going on up there.  
  
*  
  
"Come on, you want to dance? This song's terrific!" She leant over and grabbed the hands of one of the security officials and pulled them to their feet, dancing a little. Then she chose another, then the final one, each doing the same thing. Then she turned to the man with the gun and held out her hand, her index finger rolling back seductively.  
  
*  
  
Scully and Skinner were sitting at the video, listening to what hit the microphones across the street as faded pop music.  
  
"She's showing us who's there," Scully picked up right away.  
  
"Are you sure it's Agent Reyes?" Skinner asked again.  
  
"I'm positive. Tall, slim, you can see the shoulder length hair blending into her form. This one's a shorter woman. She's one of the three missing. The other two should be men. One overweight, one about Monica's height." As they watched, two men matching those descriptions were shown off through the blinds. They watched as Monica turned and beckoned someone to come to her. "That must be him." Scully paused, before uttering a pronounced, "Shit!"  
  
"What?" Skinner asked.  
  
"She doesn't know the snipers aren't still there. She's trying to get him in the firing line."  
  
"They are still there. I never ordered them down."  
  
"But Follmer-"  
  
"To hell with Follmer you three are my Agents." Skinner picked up a radio and explained the situation to the opposite rooftop. They had sight of the shadow but knew it was friendly. "Are you sure this is the guy?" Skinner asked.  
  
"Yeah. If he can come forward. None of the other shadows even came close to his physical outline. If he's going to dance with Monica it'll be a close shot," Scully warned.  
  
"I know. Their orders are a clean shot only. They know she's FBI."  
  
* 


	10. Chapter 10 final

Title: Means to an End Author: Lisa Email: lc7685@hotmail.com Disclaimer: I don't own the show, the characters, or anything like that :) Rating: PG Summary: Monica finds herself in a dangerous position after events take a turn for the worse. Set after Sunshine days, Pre-Truth. Please R/R this is a WIP :)  
  
Category: DRF/DRUST/DRR...just-all-DR :P Drama, Angst A/N at end.  
  
FINAL PART  
  
John stopped at a door. He was certain the music was coming from this room. His heart beat faster and his palms were sweating. Something strange was trying to get into his head; he couldn't work out what it was. Some kind of thought... He sat on his heels a few more moments before realising what it was.  
  
Come in, John. Come in. Please.  
  
It was Monica.  
  
*  
  
"I'm not dancing with you."  
  
"Scared?" she asked.  
  
"You'd drop me in a second."  
  
"I promise, I won't hurt you." Monica held up her hands. They had to yell at each other to be heard over the music.  
  
"I'm not going near a window."  
  
"No one can see us, the blinds are down."  
  
"Put out that light."  
  
"Then we won't be able to see each other." She took a step closer, still holding out her hand. "Come on, afraid I'll be better than you?"  
  
"No," he stated.  
  
"Afraid that if I try and fight you - which I won't - that you won't be able to fight me back?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Then what's your problem? Leave the gun next to the detonator." He hesitated.  
  
"If you're going to kill me, humour me and let me have this dance." Where the hell is John? She thought. She'd told him to come in minutes ago. The man finally agreed and stood, very wary of any tricks Monica may have up her sleeve, but she seemed genuinely relieved. Stupid FBI, he thought. They think they're tough but they get so scared. This one got scared through a bit of turbulence! Hah!  
  
*  
  
"I think she did it," Scully stated as she saw Monica move forward. The silhouette wasn't perfectly outlined because of several physical factors but she could see Monica's arm outstretched okay, and whoever was holding onto the other end was it.  
  
*  
  
John turned the handle on the door, hoping that no one was watching. The music blanketed any sounds it would have otherwise made. He pushed it open carefully, his gun held up in front of his face. Peering through he saw Monica and the fake suspect from the plane dancing. One of the officials turned their head and saw him, eyes growing wide. John held a finger to his lips and they turned their heads immediately, as though they had seen nothing. The door was positioned so that he was looking at the fake suspect's side, but from behind. If he could open the door a little more, he could have a clear shot.  
  
*  
  
"My man has a clear shot. Awaiting orders." Skinner picked up the radio.  
  
"You make sure it's clear."  
  
"It's clear." There was hesitation in Skinner's voice. After all, all they had were a couple of shadows, and blurry ones at that.  
  
"Fire once clear," he managed, sitting back and waiting while the order went through the chain of command.  
  
*  
  
John aimed at the man's waist, which thankfully wasn't that close to Monica's. He fired, and it echoed over the music as glass shattered over the man and Monica, the curtain blowing inwards with the wind speeds generated from being so high off the ground. John stood and burst in; holding his gun on the suspect, realising that there was no way he'd missed that shot. There was way too much blood on either side of him. There'd been another shot. John turned to the officials.  
  
"Stay here!" he ordered, not bothering to check the man's vitals. He was going to die anyway, from the looks of the wounds in his side as well as his neck. He knelt down to where Monica had propped herself up on her elbows. She had a faraway look in her eyes.  
  
"Monica?" he asked, reaching out and touching her face. "Monica." Her eyes suddenly snapped back into place and they watched each other. Monica's chest was heaving; her heart must've been beating ten times its normal speed. "You okay? Here, sit up."  
  
"No, I can stand," she replied. He smiled at her. "What?" He shook his head.  
  
"Nothing." Taking her hand, John helped her to her feet. She walked over and switched off the music before looking around.  
  
"John, the bomb," she began, walking over to it.  
  
"Is there a timer?" he asked. She shook her head.  
  
"No, I... I don't know."  
  
"Then we're getting out of here." John pulled out his mobile and turned it on, ringing Skinner as the other officials gathered their things.  
  
"John what the hell happened?"  
  
"He's dead, I'll explain once we're down. We need bomb squad-"  
  
"They're already on their way. Get the hell out of there-"  
  
"We are." John was the last to leave the room, a hand safely against Monica's back, but she stopped. "What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Wait!" she called. Everyone stopped and she ran back in, getting the CD out of the computer and returning it to the woman who'd leant it. "Thankyou," she stated.  
  
"All right thankyous can come later, move now," John ordered, pushing them all out as the bomb squad passed in the staircase.  
  
*  
  
Scully and Skinner were waiting anxiously below for any sign of their friends. Bomb Squad had declared that the device had been de-activated. It had been complicated, but not that complicated. The three officials were rushed into a police van by uniformed officers and taken downtown for statements. They would be charged with conspiracy. John and Monica made their way over to Skinner and Scully. Scully went into physician mode seeing the cuts on Monica's neck. She looked hard into Monica's eyes.  
  
"You okay?" Monica nodded.  
  
"Yeah. Just scratches thanks to two very clean shooters."  
  
"Two?" Skinner asked. "I only gave one order."  
  
"John shot him too," she replied. "Simultaneously. I had no idea where anything was coming from for about five seconds after that."  
  
"Well you're all right, that's the important thing. Agent Reyes I don't want to see you for several days."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Take a holiday Monica."  
  
"I don't need a holiday." Skinner looked at her. He wasn't going to change his mind and she knew it. She'd find a way to work from home, and he knew that.  
  
"John, you can have some time off if you like too."  
  
"No thanks sir."  
  
"That wasn't a question. I want reports as soon as possible but other than that, I will see you both next Monday."  
  
"Wait a minute," Monica said. "You're telling *us* you'll see us Monday?"  
  
"Yes," Skinner replied. "Nice work all of you. Agent Scully, I'm particularly impressed, and not for the first time this year." He left and Scully smiled.  
  
"I think he's going to be in a very good mood for the next week or two," she started. "Come on, I'll drive you both home."  
  
"We brought my car," John stated.  
  
"Yes and it was towed because it was in a no standing zone."  
  
"What?" Scully smirked.  
  
"Sorry. You'll get it back when you come back to work."  
  
"I don't have a car for a week?"  
  
"Doesn't seem like it. Come on, hop in," she replied, holding the door open for them. "If you're good, I'll drive it by within the next couple of days."  
  
They arrived at Monica's place first. She turned in the front passenger seat to look at Dana and John.  
  
"You know I'm not going to sleep tonight until I find out what actually happened while I was up there. You want to come in for a coffee or something?" Dana smiled but declined. She had to ring her mother and explain why she missed dinner.  
  
"She probably thinks I've locked myself in my house or that I'm out running after some aliens."  
  
"John?" Monica asked, turning to where he sat in the back. Her eyes glistened and he knew she wanted him to come up with her. How could he say no, even if he were scared shitless?  
  
"Okay. Thanks for the ride Scully."  
  
"John my name's Dana," she insisted. "We're not at work. And it's no problem. You'll be right getting home?"  
  
"Sure," he replied, hopping out as Monica did. They waved Dana goodbye and walked up. "You feeling okay?" he asked Monica.  
  
"Yeah. Apart from the hunger, thirst and scratches, I'm just fine." She smiled. She was serious. He couldn't believe it. There wasn't a hint of sarcasm in her voice. John stood in her entrance, confused for a moment, but was startled out of it when the phone rang. "Monica Reyes," she answered as she motioned for John to close the front door behind him. "Hi Ma... What did they say?... Well I'm fine... They didn't have to call you... What? What channel?... They shouldn't have identified me... Oh, a feeling?" John watched her grin. "Mm... I really am fine... No, you don't need to come up. You and Papi stay where you are, understood? You've already made an unnecessary trip this year... I know, I know, no trip's unnecessary, but-... I am looking after myself. I'm being very well looked after... By Dana and John... Yes Ma, John... Anyway, I just got home so I have to go... Okay I love you too. Bye." She hung up and spun back to John. He wasn't there. She suddenly got an awful feeling that he'd disappeared and that the phone would ring any second-  
  
"Your mum heard it on the news and got a feeling?" John's voice came from the kitchen and Monica raced around the corner to make sure it was really him. He was watching her, head cocked to one side. "You okay?" She wished he'd stop asking that.  
  
"Yeah! And she did. She just knew it was me, straight away." John handed her a cup of coffee. "Thanks." Monica took a sip before opening another cupboard and taking out some first aid materials. She walked to her mirror and looked into it, seeing two small cuts on her neck, knowing there were many more on her hands. She cleaned the two up quickly and looked down at her hands. They weren't that bad, but she washed them with a strong soap anyway. Then she went to sit next to John on the couch.  
  
"I'm glad you came up," she started after several moments, resting her cup on the table in front of her. She looked over at John and he felt a burning at his heart he hadn't felt in a very long time. Actually, that was a lie. He had felt it. He had just always pushed it aside. It didn't matter. She didn't feel the same way. He only felt as though he should have kissed her that night because maybe she would have stayed, but he knew it wasn't what she had wanted. Was it?  
  
"I," he fumbled, trying to find the words. "I wanted to come up earlier, I just wasn't sure, ready-"  
  
"I know, John," she replied softly, sitting back and smiling at him.  
  
"How come you know so much?" he asked. She shrugged. "You knew there were guys outside waiting for a clean shot. You knew I was there, waiting for you to say something to me." Her smile grew and she nodded.  
  
"You didn't disappoint, either." She raised an eyebrow and John felt himself becoming more confident, as confident as he'd ever been speaking his mind with Monica before. She was just sitting there, completely open to whatever he was saying. A smile emerged in his eyes before on his lips as he leant slightly forward. Monica didn't pull back.  
  
"I never could resist a woman who said please." Monica thought back to the message she'd prayed had reached John.  
  
Please hear it... Come in, John. Come in. Please.  
  
"You mean you, you heard me?"  
  
"I felt you." They were content to sit and watch each other for minutes, the energy between them holding them in place. "Imagine," John started. "Follmer." Monica laughed.  
  
"He's going to be pissed."  
  
"We solved his case." They laughed some more and then stopped, smiling at each other. "And now we're on trauma holidays."  
  
"What are we going to do?" Monica asked.  
  
"We'll figure out something. How about, lots of lunches, movies-"  
  
"Sounds good," Monica replied. "John."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thankyou for staying there with me. I knew I wasn't alone." John boldly reached out and touched her cheek.  
  
"You'll never be alone," he spoke. He began to lean in and she reciprocated, emitting a gentle sigh as he kissed her, their first kiss soft but full of all the desire they'd kept hidden from each other, from themselves. Suddenly Monica broke off, laughing. John smirked.  
  
"What?" he asked. Monica slid her arms around his waist and pulled him to her, looking up into his large, blue eyes, comfortable in the hug. This man had become her best friend, and she never wanted that to change, she wanted him to know that. She thought he did.  
  
"Skinner told us he'd see us Monday," she smirked, raising her eyebrows suggestively.  
  
"What 'are' we going to do?" he asked.  
  
"I'm sure we'll think of something," she replied in a whisper as his hands ran along her lower back. "That's a lot of shopping," she added in a whisper, causing John to laugh.  
  
"Sure is," he managed as he looked into her eyes. They were so open to him, they always had been, he realised. "Wanna...get a pizza or something?" John asked. Monica thought, before smiling.  
  
"Later," she answered, curling up next to him on the couch as she switched on the TV. There was a news report of the incident on that channel, so they changed it. John heard Monica complaining before the picture even came on. "Oh no!" she sighed, leaning closer to him.  
  
"What?" he asked as the picture came on. Then he saw it. The Empire State Building. Oh no.  
  
It was Sleepless in Seattle, and by the time it finished, Monica and John were both fast asleep.  
  
End! ***A/N: Thanks to all the feedback. I realise that Follmer played a large role in this fic and that this may not quite fit in with the events of 'Release', however not having actually seen it, only reading it, I'm unsure of what may have actually happened to Follmer after this episode, so I kind of blanked the whole pay-off with the killer thing out of my mind. :) Thanks to LR for pointing out a couple of inconsistencies in the characters. I really appreciate feedback and criticism when it's nice even if its advice like that so keep it up :)Cya Lisa. 


End file.
